CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKEMIC GRANULOCYTES EXHIBIT DECREASED ADHESION TO FIBRONECTIN

Extracellular matrix components are known to regulate the process of e gress of granulocytes from the bone marrow and their emigration to inf lammatory sites. In this study we have compared the adhesion of normal and chronic myeloid leukemic granulocytes to fibronectin. Adhesion of granulocytes from leukemic patients to all the different concentratio ns of fibronectin assessed was significantly lower than that of normal individuals. This observation suggests that the decreased adhesion of leukemic cells to fibronectin may be responsible for their early egre ss from the bone marrow and their delayed emigration to the sites of i nflammation.